They famously got their start in the late 1980s playing local venues like 924 Gilman and Berkeley Square, and Thursday the mega-band that is Green Day made a triumphant return to their roots by playing the newly renovated UC Theatre on University Avenue.

The 99-year-old UC Theatre went dark 15 years ago when Landmark Theatres decided closing it was more sensible than investing six figures in a needed seismic upgrade. But last Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the UC Theatre was rocking with a three-concert stand by Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Star Orchestra.

UPDATE, April 19: The They Might Be Giants’ postponed show (originally March 25) at the UC Theatre has been rescheduled for Friday, July 22. Tickets purchased for the March 25 show will be honored for the rescheduled date. More information.

Downtown Berkeley Association is hanging 85 colorful double banners from downtown Berkeley’s lampposts to launch a new branding campaign, “Meet Me Downtown.” The campaign is being led by the DBA with five partners, the new Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, the new UC Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Freight & Salvage and Visit Berkeley.

With Pacific Film Archive closed over the holidays, I thought this the perfect time to take a trip down memory lane and ruminate upon the ghosts of Berkeley cinemas past, starting with the biggest and best of them all, the UC Theatre on University Avenue.